Westminster boy, 12, injured in fall from Wachusett Mountain ski lift

PRINCETON - A 12-year-old Westminster boy who allegedly was “messing around” was injured when he fell off a chairlift Sunday night at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area.

Carolyn Stimpson, a co-owner and operator of the ski area, said the boy, whom she declined to name, was on the Minuteman lift with other youths when he fell about 20 feet around 9:15 p.m. She said the boy was taken taken to the hospital by MedStar Ambulance, with injuries that were not life-threatening. He is expected to fully recover.

“He was injured, but he will be OK,” said Ms. Stimpson. “His dad said his son admitted freely that he was messing around on the lift.”

Ms. Stimpson said she asked the father once the son recovers if he would be willing to come back and do a safety video for the ski area, “to remind kids not to mess around on the lift and to put the safety bar down,” she said. “The father said he thinks his son would be willing to do that.”

The injured youth has a season pass and goes to the ski area regularly, Ms. Stimpson said.

“Obviously, it upsets all of us. It being national Ski Safety Week, we try like crazy to get the kids to put the comfort bar down.”